Will it affect my dog (6 year old Tenterfield terrier) if he drinks cows' milk like we do, or no milk at all? He eats Purina dry food and has water.
(I know he's not a cow, but neither are most people and we drink it!)
2007-02-20 10:26:39 · 16 answers · asked by Jokin' Jo 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Yes it will probably give the dog diarrhoea. Lactose is in Cows milk which is a type of sugar, the enzymes in a dogs gut have trouble breaking down the sugar and it can give them diarrhoea. Many people are also allergic to cows milk for exactly the same reason.
To be honest your dog is better of drinking water as it will also not clog up his system and unbalance his diet.
If you want to give your dog a treat every now and then and i am talking once a fortnight then you could try some lactose free milk but i tell you it is not worth the hassle.
2007-02-20 10:34:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Some dogs can tolerate cow's milk and others have difficulty digesting it. There is no need to give a 6 year old dog milk in any form. I'd skip it since dogs don't really need it for good nutrition.
BTW, many of my dogs have had serious allergy problems on Purina foods - I would suggest switching to a better quality dog food. There is a lot of debate among dog owners on which is the best food. There are a lot of super-premium foods that people swear by, but my current dogs seem to do best on Eukanuba brand foods. Nutro is also a good, widely available brand. Just a thought.
2007-02-20 10:34:49 · answer #2 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cow’s milk is designed for one purpose; to help baby cows gain necessary weight. Giving it to a full grown dog will not provide any nutritional value for the dog. Most dogs are actually lactose intolerant anyways and he will probably have at the least loose stools. Also, if it's hot out and the dog is active the milk will curdle in the stomach causing stomach irritation. I wouldn't recommend it at all. Stick to a high quality food.
2007-02-20 10:44:26 · answer #3 · answered by al l 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, no dont feed it cow milk, dont feed it any milk. Just water, and if you do want to give it milk, yes they do have special kinds of milk but believe me its hard to find, and is pretty expensive so I tihnk the diet you put him on right now is good, except Purina isn't a very good dog food brand.
depend.on.dogs
2007-02-20 10:35:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No milk- or if you do, only in very very small amounts. Dogs are lactose intolerant (meaning to cows milk) too much can cause digestion problems and diarrhea, just like in lactose intolerant people.
If you think about it, humans are the ONLY animal to drink another species milk....and the only one to drink milk as an adult!.
Dogs have no need for milk at all once they are weaned from their mother.
2007-02-20 10:33:13 · answer #5 · answered by D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If a puppy is more than 12 weeks of age, milk is not absolutely necessary in their diet. Calcium can be given in other forms. If under 12 weeks of age, try feeding them mushed up puppy food instead with a calcium supplement if required instead of milk, most puppies can suck mush off a finger. Milk can be given as a treat, but too much (more than a lap or two) is not advised, dogs can live without milk so I wouldn't bother trying to substitute it with any thing else.
2016-05-23 23:59:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs do not possess the enzyme that is necessary to digest dairy products. It's not a deadly thing, but you'll suffer some concequences, nonetheless. Fragrant diarrhea (or terrible gas build-up) may very well follow. I'd stick with good old water for the pup!
2007-02-20 10:33:01 · answer #7 · answered by Eddie S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your 6 year old dog does not need milk, he needs water. Milk will give him diarrhea.
2007-02-20 10:33:33 · answer #8 · answered by Yo LO! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is nothing wrong with giving a dog milk to drink. You are correct, we are the only mammals that drink other animals' milk as children and adults. My grandmother used to give all her dogs milk in the morning and they were just fine. It never killed them or anything. Maybe it helped their bones.
It's not necessary to give them milk, but it's not going to kill them either.
I have never heard of the special pet milk you mentioned. It's not necessary if they are eating a well balanced dog food. Water to drink is just fine.
2007-02-20 10:42:29 · answer #9 · answered by Sirena 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Water is best. Milk can realy upset a canines stomach. It makes for a messy floor.
2007-02-20 10:31:58 · answer #10 · answered by michael g 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋